The immediate aftermath of World War I coincided with the tenure of Rear Admiral Mark L. Bristol as the US High Commissioner in the Ottoman Empire and later the Turkish Republic (1919-27). A key diplomat, Admiral Bristol's observations and recommendations helped to shape US foreign policy in the Ottoman Empire, out of which the modern Middle East emerged. His actions also laid the foundations of the strategic partnership between Turkey and the US, from the Cold War years through to the 21st century. In reporting and examining Bristol's official correspondence to the State Department, Hakan zoğlu paints an alternative picture of Turkey and the transition period from empire to nation state.